Rotatable-joint clasp having safety locking means



ROTATABLE-JOINT CLASP HAVING SAFETY LOCKING MEANS Filed Aug. '27, 1947M. HATTAN Dec. 14, 1948.

2 Sheets-Sheet l JNVENTOR.

M 795 A/A77777/V Dec. 14, 1948. HATTAN 2,455,929

ROTATABLE-JOINT CLASP HAVING SAFETY LOCKING MEANS Filed Aug. 27, 1947 If 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

Patented Dec. 14, 1948 UNlT EDSTATES PATENT OFFICE ROTATABLE-JOINT CLASPHAVING SAFETY LOCKING MEANS Mark Hattan, Pasadena, Calif. ApplicationAugust 27,. 1947, Serial No. 770,843 2 claims. (01. 24-225) (Grantedunder the act of March 3, 1883, as

The invention described herein maybe manufactured and used by or for theGovernment for governmental purposes without payment to me of anyroyaltythereon.

This invention relates to a safety clasp for parachute harness, safetybelts for airplanes and other flexible or jointed strip apparatus ofsimilar character.

It has been noted that the present conventional clasps for suchapparatus are imperfect because they are too easily opened by accident.A need exists for a clasp that is free from such defect but which willrespond to deliberate operation without fail. v

One object of the present invention is to provide a clasp for flexiblemembers which cannot be opened accidentally, but which will not jam orcatch when opened deliberately.

Another object is to provide a clasp that can be made light, but strongand requires no large holes through the strip material.

Another object is to provide a clasp that can easily be made in quantityby the die casting process.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is an oblique view of the assembled-clasp, the flexible strips tobe joined being shown in dashed line.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the clasp taken on the line 2-2 ofFig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view corresponding to Fig. 1 but showing theclasp partly disassembled.

Fig. 4 is an oblique view of the frame and link members ready forassembly.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the frame.

Fig. 6 is a top view of the slide.

H] is a frame of generally rectangular shape and section stiffened by adividing inner cross member'or rib ll. One outer cross member or rib l2has a rounded outer surface l3 and a rounded inner surface M. The topand bottom surfaces remain flat however, except for a small semicirculargroove that is generally perpendicular to the rounded surfaces. As canbe seen in Fig. 1 a loop [6 of the strip material to be joined extendsthrough a loop-retaining space ll.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 3 and 4, I8 is a link comprising aloop-retaining frame l9 in which there is a loop of strip material. tothe loop-retaining frame l9 by a neck 21 of lesser width, there is anearly circular sleeve 22. The sleeve 22 is accurately finished on theinner surface to snugly enclose the outer rib l2 of the frame It] and torotate easily on the rounded Connected amended April 30, 1928; 370 O. G.757) surfaces [3 and [4 thereof. It is evident that such a connection isa very strong construction.

In order to prevent a conceivable accidental loosening of the claspwhich might otherwise occur if the sleeve 22 were to rotate inwarddegrees, a slide 23 is provided to act as a keeper. As shown in Fig. 3,the slide is of generally trapezoidal section and is as long as thesleeve 22 and accurately fits that part of the open space 24 in thesleeve where that space is not occupied by the outer rib l2 of theframe. That part of space 24 not occupied by the rib [2 also has atrapezoidal cross section, the narrower side presented outwardly. Inother words, the outer rib l2 and the slide 23 cooperate to fillentirely the empty space 24 in the sleeve up to its outer contour, thewide base of the slide being in contact with the rib l2 and in doing sothey prevent the sleeve from rotating on the rib 12, or the slide 23being pulled directly out of the space 24 by an outwardly directed lift.Loop-retaining frame I!) is consequently held in substantially the sameplane as frame ID as is shown in Fig. 2.

Dropping out of the slide 23 is prevented by a spring loaded ball orother type of latch 25 which is inletted into the slide 23 at its middlepoint, so that when the ends of slide 23 are even with the ends ofsleeve 22, the ball 25 and the detent IE will cooperate to latch theslide 23 in place. A lug 26 is provided on the slide 23 to provide botha housing for the spring loaded ball 25 and a handle through which aloop of cord 21 is brought by means of a hole 28. The loop 21 is aconvenient hand grasp or pull.

In operation, to put the clasp together, the link I8 is brought incontact with frame In at right angles thereto. Outer rib l2 of frame Inis now introduced into the sleeve 22. When the rib l2 has fully enteredthe sleeve 22 the link 3 is rotated through 90 degrees to the positionshown in Fig. 1. The slide 23 is now introduced from the end into thespace 24 and slid along rib 12 by means of loop 21 until the ball 25enters the detent l5. Reversal of these operations will again open theclasp.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a clasp for joining strips of flexible or jointed material, aframe of generally rectangular shape, a rounded outer and inner freeedge on one outer cross member of said frame, a connecting linkcooperating with the said edges, said link comprising a frame, a sleeve,a neck connecting said frame and sleeve, said sleeve having an open sideof trapezoidal section wide enough at its outer edge to receive saidouter cross member of the first mentioned frame when the latter isintroduced at approximately a 90 angle and a bore adapted to rotatablyreceive said outer cross member and to engage its rounded edges, and aslide of generally trapezoidal section adapted to beinsertedtherein,its..base incontact with said outer cross member to'fillsubstantially the space between a fiat side of said outer member of theframe within said sleeve and the line of outer.

surface contour of said sleeve.

2. A clasp for joining stripsof fie'xible or jointed strip material, aframe, a rounded outer and inner free edge on an outer cross member ofsaidframe,

a link cooperating with said frame, said link' comprising a frame, asleeve,-'a"-neck connecting said link frame and sleeve, said link framehaving an open side wide enough at its outer edge to receive the side ofsaid outer cross member of the first mentioned frame and a bore: adaptedto rotatably receive said "outer frame cross member by-itsrounded edgesand a slideadapted to be inserted and retained in and to fillsubstantially the space between a flat side of said outer cross memberof the frame within said sleeve and the line of outer surface contour ofsaid sleeve.

MARK HATTAN.

REFERENGES CHEW The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITEDw STATES PATENTS

